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New Delhi Tries to Restore Water After Protests

February 23, 2016

A resident fills plastic containers with drinking water at a slum in New Delhi, India. Engineers were working Tuesday on restoring New Delhi's full water supply after protesters damaged a key canal in a neighboring state and disrupted supplies over the weekend. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Water was cut off to large portions of the Indian capital over the weekend. Protestors damaged a canal that supplies water to the city of 18 million.

The canal, in the neighboring Indian State of Haryana, provides about 60 percent of New Delhi’s water, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Water returned to some northern and central parts of New Delhi on Tuesday, the AP said. The city’s water ministry said it hoped to return service to western neighborhoods Tuesday night.

Indian government officials said they also sent 70 water tanks to western areas of New Delhi.

The protestors from the impoverished Jat community damaged the Haryana canal during violent protests, according to the AP. Protestors are demanding more government jobs and admissions to leading Indian schools.

A battle between protestors and police over the last several days left 12 people dead. Jat leaders agreed to end the protests on Monday after negotiations with government officials.

The damage of the Haryana canal demonstrated problems with New Delhi’s water supplies. Shortages are common in New Delhi during the dry season.

The shortages are worst in New Delhi’s riverside slums and shanties, according to the Future World Project. The project works on environmental issues related to climate change.

I'm Bruce Alpert.

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on stories from the Associated Press and the Future World Project. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

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